TY - GEN
T1 - Long-Lasting Alterations in T and B Cell Function in Convalescent COVID-19 Patients
AU - Shuwa, HA
AU - Shaw, TN
AU - Knight, SB
AU - McClure, FA
AU - Wemyss, K
AU - Prise, I
AU - Permain, L
AU - Jagger, C
AU - Morgan, DJ
AU - Khan, S
AU - Brand, O
AU - Mann, ER
AU - Ustianowski, A
AU - Bakerly, ND
AU - Menon, M
AU - Dark, Paul
AU - Brightling, Christopher E
AU - Brij, Seema
AU - Felton, Timothy
AU - Simpson, Andrew
PY - 2020/10/1
Y1 - 2020/10/1
N2 - Emerging studies indicate that some COVID-19 patients suffer from persistent symptoms including breathlessness and chronic fatigue; however the long-term immune response in these patients presently remains ill-defined. Here we describe the phenotypic and functional characteristics of B and T cells in healthy individuals and individuals with acute or convalescent COVID-19. We report that the alterations in B cell subsets observed in acute COVID-19 patients were largely recovered in convalescent patients. In contrast, T cells from convalescent patients displayed long-term alterations with persistence of a cytotoxic programme evident in CD8+ T cells as well as elevated production of type-1 cytokines and IL-17. Interestingly, B cells from patients with acute COVID-19 displayed an IL-6/ IL-10 cytokine imbalance in response to toll-like receptor activation, skewed towards a pro-inflammatory phenotype. Whereas the frequency of IL-10+ B cells was restored in a subset of convalescent patients, IL-6 production remained elevated. Our data are the first to define long-term alterations in the lymphocyte compartment of previously hospitalized COVID-19 patients, at up to 19 weeks of convalescence, and identify 3 subgroups of convalescent patients based on distinct lymphocyte phenotypes. We propose that alterations in B and T cell function following hospitalisation with COVID-19 could impact long-term immunity and contribute to some persistent symptoms observed in convalescent COVID-19 patients.
AB - Emerging studies indicate that some COVID-19 patients suffer from persistent symptoms including breathlessness and chronic fatigue; however the long-term immune response in these patients presently remains ill-defined. Here we describe the phenotypic and functional characteristics of B and T cells in healthy individuals and individuals with acute or convalescent COVID-19. We report that the alterations in B cell subsets observed in acute COVID-19 patients were largely recovered in convalescent patients. In contrast, T cells from convalescent patients displayed long-term alterations with persistence of a cytotoxic programme evident in CD8+ T cells as well as elevated production of type-1 cytokines and IL-17. Interestingly, B cells from patients with acute COVID-19 displayed an IL-6/ IL-10 cytokine imbalance in response to toll-like receptor activation, skewed towards a pro-inflammatory phenotype. Whereas the frequency of IL-10+ B cells was restored in a subset of convalescent patients, IL-6 production remained elevated. Our data are the first to define long-term alterations in the lymphocyte compartment of previously hospitalized COVID-19 patients, at up to 19 weeks of convalescence, and identify 3 subgroups of convalescent patients based on distinct lymphocyte phenotypes. We propose that alterations in B and T cell function following hospitalisation with COVID-19 could impact long-term immunity and contribute to some persistent symptoms observed in convalescent COVID-19 patients.
UR - http://europepmc.org/abstract/PPR/PPR241719
U2 - 10.2139/ssrn.3720301
DO - 10.2139/ssrn.3720301
M3 - Other contribution
ER -